The Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) clarified on December 04 that cracks at one of the blocks at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) new hostels were technically normal and expected.

Addressing a press conference here, the TBA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Elius Mwakalinga said the agency has inspected the six-block hostel today after pictures went viral on various social media platforms.

"Cracks have been found in Block A only out of the six blocks. They have been found at expansion joints, which were specifically made to enable the buildings to adjust," he said.

"Every block has three expansion joints to allow adjustments, which is common in all professionally built facilities depending on type of the soil in a respective place," he added.

According to him the agency was carrying out assessment in all six buildings and would repair all defects, noting that the buildings were still under retention.

"The repair, which is needed here is minor, therefore there is no need for relocating students," he said, adding that the repair would be completed within a week.

In another development, Mr Mwakalinga said the actual value of constructing the buildings was Sh10 billion in accordance to terms and reference given by President John Magufuli.

According to him, one room of 3.5 *3.3 square metres was built at Sh10 million, noting that time spent in implementing the project did not compromise the quality of the buildings.

He blamed the person, who took pictures and posted them on the social media, saying he/she intended to paint a bad image on the fifth phase government, which is doing a good job of cutting costs on various projects.

TBA's clarification comes a day after pictures went viral showing big cracks in one of the UDSM hostels built by the agency, raising safety concerns to over 3,800 students accommodated in the blocks.